Columbus, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Columbus, Montana
|
|
|---|---|
Columbus, Montana
|
|
Location of Columbus, Montana
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Stillwater |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.37 sq mi (3.55 km2) |
| • Land | 1.37 sq mi (3.55 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,580 ft (1,090 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 1,857 |
| • Density | 1,352.51/sq mi (522.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
59019
|
| Area code(s) | 406 |
| FIPS code | 30-16825 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2413233 |
Columbus is a small town in Montana, United States. It is the main town, also called the county seat, of Stillwater County. In 2020, about 1,857 people lived there.
Contents
History
Columbus started as a place where stagecoaches would stop along the Yellowstone River.
Its first name was Sheep Dip. Later, it was called Stillwater. But there was another town named Stillwater in Minnesota on the Northern Pacific Railroad. This caused problems with mail delivery. So, in 1893, the town's name was changed to Columbus, Montana.
Geography and Climate
Columbus is located in a pretty spot. It sits between the Yellowstone River and Interstate 90. The old Highway 10 and Yellowstone Trail also pass through the area.
The Yellowstone River and the Stillwater River meet right in Columbus.
The town has a climate known as a warm-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 521 | — | |
| 1920 | 987 | 89.4% | |
| 1930 | 834 | −15.5% | |
| 1940 | 962 | 15.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,097 | 14.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,281 | 16.8% | |
| 1970 | 1,173 | −8.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,439 | 22.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,573 | 9.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,748 | 11.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,893 | 8.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,857 | −1.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
How Many People Live Here?
In 2010, there were 1,893 people living in Columbus. Most people (about 96.5%) were White. A small number of people were Native American, Asian, or from other backgrounds. About 2.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
There were 767 households in the town. Many of these (about 33.9%) had children under 18 living there. The average age of people in Columbus was about 40 years old.
Fun Things to Do
The Museum of the Beartooths is a history museum in Columbus. It shows off old items and copies of how life used to be in the Stillwater area.
With the Yellowstone River and Stillwater River nearby, fishing is a very popular activity for locals and visitors.
The Stillwater County Library is a public library that serves the community. It's a great place to find books and learn new things.
Town Services
Woltermann Memorial Airport is a small airport located southeast of Columbus. It's used for public flights.
Columbus is also home to a special solar power project. The Stillwater Smelter has a large solar panel system. It was the first big industrial solar setup in Montana that generates power for its own use.
Schools
Columbus Public Schools teaches students from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The sports teams at Columbus High School are called the Cougars.
News and Radio
The local newspaper is called the Stillwater County News. It comes out once a week and you can also read it online.
The radio station KMTJ is based in Columbus. People in town can also listen to radio stations from the larger city of Billings.
Famous People
Some notable people have connections to Columbus:
- Annie Duke, a professional poker player, used to live here.
- Dwan Edwards, a professional football player, went to high school in Columbus.
- William Thomas Hamilton, also known as Wildcat Bill, was a frontiersman and writer from the 1800s.
- Jack Vaughn, who was an Ambassador and led the Peace Corps.
See also
In Spanish: Columbus (Montana) para niños
